SD-WAN Vendor Viptela Launches Global Partner Program

Viptela is turning to the channel to get its software-defined WAN technology out to more customers.

The company—one of a growing number of vendors looking to grab a share of an SD-WAN market that IDC analysts predict will hit $6 billion by 2020—on Oct. 6 launched its vForce Global Partner Program, which offers partners a range of go-to-market support, financial incentives and training resources that will help managed service providers bring SD-WAN technologies to enterprises.

"Our partners will play a vital role in enabling enterprise SD-WAN transformation, helping customers deploy, scale and ensure ongoing success with our solutions," James Winebrenner, vice president of worldwide sales at Viptela, said in a statement.

SD-WAN is a fast-growing part of the larger network virtualization push that includes software-defined networking (SDN) and network-functions virtualization (NFV). The technology is designed to enable enterprises to overcome the complexity and expense of traditional data transport modes as Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) by providing a range of options, including wireless broadband and WiFi, and the software that can automatically choose the best route. It comes as organizations wrestle with such trends as cloud computing, data analytics and the proliferation of smart, connected devices.

Viptela's Sensible Extensible Network (SEN) suite includes such components as the vSmart SD-WAN controller, vManage network management system and vEdge routers. Company officials said Viptela counts more than 25 Fortune 500 firms as customers, and that more than 15,000 vEdge routers are being used in production environments.

The vendor's vForce program includes a 100 percent channel sales model, rapid on-boarding capabilities, robust deal registration and an assured margin program. More than 40 companies already have joined the program, including Logicalis, Teneo and Dimension Data.

The SD-WAN space is a crowded one, with established players like Cisco Systems and Riverbed Technology competing against smaller pure-play companies like Viptela, Talari Networks, VeloCloud and Cloud Genix. Other vendors, including CloudGenix and Talari, have kicked off channel or tech partner programs to broaden their reach in the industry.